Sully is a good working pup, but he’s had a few embarrassing moments along the way. His handler shared his favorite memory of Sully with us:

One day, during the search of a church building, Officer Nowack saw Sully climb up some stairs behind the alter. A few moments later heard a splash. The next time he saw Sully he was swimming across the baptismal pool!

Officer Jeff Phillips and Chip! This duo has been together for 5 years of service. Chip is the only cadaver police certified K-9 in western/upstate NY. He is certified by I.P.W.D.A and assists police departments across NYS in human remains.

Officer Phillips loves working with Chip, and fondly remembers how he once helped track & locate a missing 2 year old child who became lost in a neighborhood. Thanks to Chip and the efforts of the police force, the little girl was returned safely to her home.
Thank you both for your service!

Officer Carney and K-9 Dexter(aka “Dex”) have had the privilege of working together for the last year!

When Officer Carney first brought this handsome pup home, Dex made quite the impression. Upon meeting officer Carney’s other dog, Rocky, Dex was given a test of speed. Rocky began chasing Dex around the backyard, and Dex played along. He ran and ran until finally meeting his match, and falling into the in-ground pool!
Thank you both for your service! And Dex- be careful near the pool this summer!

Officer Jason Cropo has been working with K-9, Jack, for 3 years. Jack is a handsome pup who LOVES peanut butter and posing for candid photos in the driver’s seat of the police car.

Thank you Officer Cropo and Jack for your service!

Sergeant Jorge Perez and K-9 Kahn! Sergeant Perez and Kahn have worked together for only 8 short months, but their bond is strong. Sergeant Perez said “Picking him up at the airport when he was brought to the U.S., we seemed to have an instant bond. Kahn has been very loving toward me and a great partner.

Thank you Sergeant Perez and Kahn for your service!

Officer Jason Hess and his K-9, Kato! Officer Hess has been handling Kato for 3 years, making sure to slip him his favorite snack from time to time- baby carrots!

Officer Hess’ favorite memory with this sharp pup is when he was looking for a suspect who committed a robbery and was believed to have committed twenty others. After a long track, Kato found the suspect hiding in the bushes. We’re certainly impressed!

Thank you both for your service!

Pierson(aka “Piers”) is K-9 partner to Officer Mike Eaton. Officer Eaton has been working with his pup for 3 years now.

Three days after bringing Piers home as his first working dog, Officer Eaton hid his Kong toy on top of the fridge so it would be out of sight and mind. After leaving the room for a few minutes, he heard a crash. Returning to the kitchen, Officer Eaton found Piers sitting on top of the fridge with his Kong in his mouth and all of the items from the top of the fridge scattered across the floor.

Now that’s what we call determination! Thank you for your service Officer Eaton and Pierson!

Last but not least!

Our last K-9 dog to feature is Tokaj! Tokaj has accompanied his handler, Officer Tim Campe, for one year. Tokaj is a handsome dog who’s great at his job, and loves his family. His favorite snack is whatever he can convince Officer Campe’s children to give him!

After a short drive, we arrived at our favorite pet store, PetSaver Superstore, which just so happens to have great (and newly remodeled) self-wash stations. These self-wash stations have been designed to take the fuss out of giving your pet a bath. Their motto: “You provide the dog, we provide the clean-up” says it all.

Spa Day

The room is brightly lit and contains 4 walk-in tubs (no lifting-big dog owners rejoice). The friendly staff is eager to show you around and walk you through the whole process. They give you plenty of time to complete the bathing processing and show you all of the bathing supplies and grooming products that are at your disposal during a wash!

For the price of $9.99 you get it all: Shampoo, Conditioner, Towels, APRONS (Hallelujah), Grooming Tools, and anything else you might need to help get your pooch clean. Even better, if you are part of their responsible dog owner club, you earn points toward store rewards (Cha-Ching!).

It was all hands on deck, for these two Pups!

Scrub-a-Dub-Dog!

We love that the self-wash unit is in the back of the store, in its own separate room (fewer doggy distractions). We needed all hands on deck for these pups and it was nice to let one sit outside the tub (with his leash on), while we worked on the other together – After all teamwork makes the dream work! Climbing into the tub was easy, even for our sweet senior, Harley. The stairs and tub are covered in a no slip mat, taking away the fear that our sometimes cautious canine has on slippery surfaces. We love that the tub is an easy walk in style with no door, the boys climbed right in. Each tub is equipped with a gentle sprayer hose and an adjustable tethered leash, to make sure your best friend stays safe (and in place).

Wet n’ Wild

After securing the pups, it was time to get wet!

Because of the ingredients, Natural shampoos are not nearly as “sudsy” as what you might be used to, but it easily spread through those golden locks, creating just the right amount of suds to know that you had thoroughly covered an area.We took care to make sure that no soap or water got in their eyes and ears!

Though the shampoo & conditioner formulas are gentle, organic, and natural, there is no sacrifice in their cleaning power and both easily tackled the daunting golden task before them: washing all evidence of messy transgressions right down the drain.

Its A Breeze!!

With the pups nice and clean, it was time to be dried. PetSaver provided us with all the towels we needed to start the process. After the towel, it was time for a blow dry! The blow dryers are gentle and not so noisy that it scared the boys….In fact I would say they enjoyed it quite a bit!

Hold up! Be sure to check out all of MyDogLikes Blog! Chop Full of Treat,Toys and Product Reviews, oh and More of these adorable cute goldens! (the best part)

As we worked through those golden locks, we were able to use some of the handy grooming tools to remove and knots or mats that eluded us before. Having everything right there really made it easy!

So Happy,Fresh and So Clean!!

Well the end result was pretty kissable – We had two fluffy, soft, super yummy smelling puppies, ready for extra smooches and cuddles (I just wanted to stick my face in their furry bodies – and yeah, I pretty much did!!).

Why MyDogLikes: PetSaver Self-Wash

We love taking the boys to the self-wash. For adventurous pups who like to explore and get dirty, its a great option when you don’t want the great outdoors, brought indoors! Not only does the pricing include all of the supplies you need, but you earn points toward free store rewards! The facility is clean, well-kept, and flexible! Best of all, no worries about clogging your pipes with all the loose fur!

Did you know that by shopping local with PetSaver you are helping support our Shelter Pet Feeding Program! Thats right! Each year PetSaver provides over 8,000 Rochester shelter pets food FREE of charge! We want to take a moment to thank our loyal customers for shopping local with us and helping us make this possible!

For participants here is the link that was sent out with full resolution images. If you get a request to log in, please click request permission. http://bit.ly/2IcqdWE

A Trip to the Self Wash!

After a short drive, we arrived at our favorite pet store, PetSaver Superstore, which just so happens to have great (and newly remodeled) self-wash stations. These self-wash stations have been designed to take the fuss out of giving your pet a bath. Their motto: “You provide the dog, we provide the clean-up” says it all.

Spa Day

The room is brightly lit and contains 4 walk-in tubs (no lifting-big dog owners rejoice). The friendly staff is eager to show you around and walk you through the whole process. They give you plenty of time to complete the bathing processing and show you all of the bathing supplies and grooming products that are at your disposal during a wash!

For the price of $9.99 you get it all: Shampoo, Conditioner, Towels, APRONS (Hallelujah), Grooming Tools, and anything else you might need to help get your pooch clean. Even better, if you are part of their responsible dog owner club, you earn points toward store rewards (Cha-Ching!).

It was all hands on deck, for these two Pups!

Scrub-a-Dub-Dog!

We love that the self-wash unit is in the back of the store, in its own separate room (fewer doggy distractions). We needed all hands on deck for these pups and it was nice to let one sit outside the tub (with his leash on), while we worked on the other together – After all teamwork makes the dream work! Climbing into the tub was easy, even for our sweet senior, Harley. The stairs and tub are covered in a no slip mat, taking away the fear that our sometimes cautious canine has on slippery surfaces. We love that the tub is an easy walk in style with no door, the boys climbed right in. Each tub is equipped with a gentle sprayer hose and an adjustable tethered leash, to make sure your best friend stays safe (and in place).

Wet n’ Wild

After securing the pups, it was time to get wet!

Because of the ingredients, Natural shampoos are not nearly as “sudsy” as what you might be used to, but it easily spread through those golden locks, creating just the right amount of suds to know that you had thoroughly covered an area.We took care to make sure that no soap or water got in their eyes and ears!

Though the shampoo & conditioner formulas are gentle, organic, and natural, there is no sacrifice in their cleaning power and both easily tackled the daunting golden task before them: washing all evidence of messy transgressions right down the drain.

Its A Breeze!!

With the pups nice and clean, it was time to be dried. PetSaver provided us with all the towels we needed to start the process. After the towel, it was time for a blow dry! The blow dryers are gentle and not so noisy that it scared the boys….In fact I would say they enjoyed it quite a bit!

Hold up! Be sure to check out all of MyDogLikes Blog! Chop Full of Treat,Toys and Product Reviews, oh and More of these adorable cute goldens! (the best part)

As we worked through those golden locks, we were able to use some of the handy grooming tools to remove and knots or mats that eluded us before. Having everything right there really made it easy!

So Happy,Fresh and So Clean!!

Well the end result was pretty kissable – We had two fluffy, soft, super yummy smelling puppies, ready for extra smooches and cuddles (I just wanted to stick my face in their furry bodies – and yeah, I pretty much did!!).

Why MyDogLikes: PetSaver Self-Wash

We love taking the boys to the self-wash. For adventurous pups who like to explore and get dirty, its a great option when you don’t want the great outdoors, brought indoors! Not only does the pricing include all of the supplies you need, but you earn points toward free store rewards! The facility is clean, well-kept, and flexible! Best of all, no worries about clogging your pipes with all the loose fur!

Thanksgiving and Christmas are special holidays that bring together family and friends, but it also can carry some hazards for pets. Holiday food needs to be kept away from pets, and pet owners who travel need to either transport their pets safely or find safe accommodations for them at home. Follow these tips to keep your pets healthy and safe during the holiday.

Poison Risks

Overindulging in the family feast can be unhealthy for humans, but even worse for pets: Fatty foods are hard for animals to digest. Poultry bones can damage your pet’s digestive tract. And holiday sweets can contain ingredients that are poisonous to pets.

Keep the feast on the table—not under it. Eating turkey or turkey skin – sometimes even a small amount – can cause a life-threatening condition in pets known as pancreatitis. Fatty foods are hard for animals to digest, and many foods that are healthy for people are poisonous to pets – including onions, raisins and grapes. If you want to share a Thanksgiving treat with your pet, make or buy a treat that is made just for them.

No pie or other desserts for your pooch. Chocolate can be harmful for pets, even though many dogs find it tempting and will sniff it out and eat it. The artificial sweetener called xylitol – commonly used in gum and sugar-free baked goods – also can be deadly if consumed by dogs or cats.

Put the trash away where your pets can’t find it. A turkey carcass sitting out on the carving table, or left in a trash container that is open or easily opened, could be deadly to your family pet. Dispose of turkey carcasses and bones – and anything used to wrap or tie the meat, such as strings, bags and packaging – in a covered, tightly secured trash bag placed in a closed trash container outdoors (or behind a closed, locked door).

Be careful with decorative plants. Don’t forget that some flowers and festive plants can be toxic to pets. These include amaryllis, Baby’s Breath, Sweet William, some ferns, hydrangeas and more. The ASPCA offers lists of plants that are toxic to both dogs and cats, but the safest route is simply to keep your pets away from all plants and table decorations.

Quick action can save lives. If you believe your pet has been poisoned or eaten something it shouldn’t have, call your veterinarian or local veterinary emergency clinic immediately. You may also want to call the ASPCA Poison Control Hotline: 888-426-4435. Signs of pet distress include: sudden changes in behavior, depression, pain, vomiting, or diarrhea. Contact your veterinarian immediately.

Precautions for Parties

If you’re hosting a party or overnight visitors, plan ahead to keep your pets safe and make the experience less stressful for everyone.

Visitors can upset your pets. Some pets are shy or excitable around new people or in crowds, and Thanksgiving often means many visitors at once and higher-than-usual noise and activity levels. If you know your dog or cat is nervous when people visit your home, put him/her in another room or a crate with a favorite toy. This will reduce the emotional stress on your pet and protect your guests from possible injury. If your pet is particularly upset by houseguests, talk to your veterinarian about possible solutions to this common problem.Learn about dog bite prevention.

If any of your guests have compromised immune systems (due to pregnancy, some diseases, or medications or treatments that suppress the immune system), make sure they’re aware of the pets (especially exotic pets) in your home so they can take extra precautions to protect themselves.

If you have exotic pets, remember that some people are uncomfortable around them and that these pets may be more easily stressed by the festivities. Keep exotic pets safely away from the hubbub of the holiday.

Watch the exits. Even if your pets are comfortable around guests, make sure you watch them closely, especially when people are entering or leaving your home. While you’re welcoming hungry guests and collecting coats, a four-legged family member may make a break for it out the door and become lost.

Identification tags and microchips reunite families. Make sure your pet has proper identification with your current contact information – particularly a microchip with up-to-date, registered information. That way, if they do sneak out, they’re more likely to be returned to you. If your pet isn’t already microchipped, talk to your veterinarian about the benefits of this simple procedure.Learn more about microchips.

Watch your pets around festive decorations. Special holiday displays or candles are attractive to pets as well as people. Never leave a pet alone in an area with a lit candle; it could result in a fire. And pine cones, needles and other decorations can cause intestinal blockages or even perforate an animal’s intestine if eaten.

Travel Concerns

Whether you take your pets with you or leave them behind, take these precautions to safeguard them when traveling over the Thanksgiving holiday or at any other time of the year.

Never leave pets alone in vehicles, even for a short time, regardless of the weather.

Pets should always be safely restrained in vehicles. This means using a secure harness or a carrier, placed in a location clear of airbags. This helps protect your pets if you brake or swerve suddenly, or get in an accident; keeps them away from potentially poisonous food or other items you are transporting; prevents them from causing dangerous distractions for the driver; and can prevent small animals from getting trapped in small spaces. Never transport your pet in the bed of a truck.Learn more about properly restraining pets in vehicles.

Talk with your veterinarian if you’re traveling by air and considering bringing your pet with you. Air travel can put some pets at risk, especially short-nosed dogs. Your veterinarian is the best person to advise you regarding your own pet’s ability to travel.

Pack for your pet as well as yourself if you’re going to travel together. In addition to your pet’s food and medications, this includes bringing medical records, information to help identify your pet if it becomes lost, first aid supplies, and other items. Refer to our Traveling with Your Pet FAQ for a more complete list.

Are you considering boarding your dog while you travel? Talk with your veterinarian to find out how best to protect your pet from canine flu and other contagious diseases, and to make sure your pet is up-to-date on vaccines.

Food Safety

Don’t forget to protect your family and loved ones from foodborne illnesses while cooking your Thanksgiving meal. Hand washing, and safe food handling and preparation, are important to make sure your holiday is a happy one. The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers tips for handling, thawing and cooking turkey, as well as saving your leftovers.

Sure, your pets might not be picky. Your dog might even enjoy a delicacy out or your cat’s litter box. But their health depends on what they eat, and knowing a few basic facts can help you make the best picks out of the hundreds of choices of pet food.

“Cheap foods try to hype many low-quality ingredients to sound like they are fantastic for your pets,” noted Russ Herman, CEO of PetSaver Healthy Pet Superstore, which has locations in Greece, Brighton and Webster. “You will see pretty pictures of good ingredients on the front of the bag, but you’ll have to hunt to find them in the ingredient listing. It can be very deceiving.”

In general, Herman tells pet owners to avoid corn, wheat, soy and by-products. “I’ll ask them to find the ingredient panel on a bag of pet food and see if the first five ingredients are of good quality. You are looking for quality proteins, not fillers.”

This is where price can be misleading. A pet food may cost more, but it might balance out because your pet might need less of a higher-quality food to meet its nutritional needs.

Here are some ingredients to consider:

Chicken vs. chicken meal: The term “chicken, beef or lamb” in a pet food ingredient means that the raw meat is used in the production of the food. The problem is when the ingredient is 80 percent water, which means it loses most of its weight during processing. It might be listed as the first ingredient on the label (meaning the biggest portion) but if analyzed after processing, it might fall to the third or fourth ingredient.

Chicken meal, on the other hand, means that the chicken was dehydrated beforeprocessing, so it would still be the biggest ingredient even after processing.

If the ingredients say “chicken, chicken meal,” that’s fine; chicken protein will still be the foremost ingredient. Or if several meats are listed (such as “chicken, duck, lamb, beef”), meat will most likely be the first ingredient after processing.

Corn, wheat, soy: These are cheap fillers that can lead to obesity, diabetes, allergies and poor digestion. Try to avoid these ingredients as much as possible.

Animal digest: Best to avoid this ingredient altogether. It may be “nutritionally healthy,” but if you see “animal” anything, it could come from any animal source. Some are too disgusting to mention.

Beef Tallow: This is often used as a fat source in your pet’s food, but it’s generally low in linoleic acid, which is important for your pet’s skin and coat. You want a very specific fat source such as chicken fat, fish oil, sunflower oil or some other high-quality fat.

Fromm Family Foods, a pet food pioneer, developed one of the first commercially available pet foods in the United States and has been an industry leader.

“From the very beginning, quality and safety throughout the entire manufacturing process has been paramount to our brand,” said Bryan Nieman, Fromm brand director. “We maintain close and long-standing relationships with ingredient vendors, formulating balanced diets with high-quality ingredients and innovative processing at our family-owned factories. At times, we choose the ‘better’ ingredient over the ‘cheaper’ option.”

Lollypop Farm and Rochester Animal Services recently switched to Fromm pet foods. Through a program with PetSaver and Fromm, most of the pet food fed at Lollypop and RAS is provided free of charge (link to article).

“We are grateful to PetSaver Healthy Pet Superstore for providing Fromm Family Foods,” said Gillian Hargrave, vice president and COO of Lollypop Farm, Humane Society of Greater Rochester. “Sadly, not all of the pets have received the best care or food before coming to Lollypop Farm — some have even been seized from cruelty situations. Providing such high-quality nutrition is critical to giving these pets the second chance they deserve.”

For pet owners, Herman says the bottom line is to understand what food works best for your pet, which is why he says PetSaver associates are educated to guide customers to the right food based on a pet’s age, breed, health concerns and activity level.

PetSaver Healthy Pet Superstore has committed to donating most of the dog and cat food fed at Lollypop Farm and Rochester Animal Services.

“It’s been a long time dream of ours to be able to provide this program to Lollypop Farm and Rochester Animal Services,” said Russ Herman, owner and CEO of PetSaver, a locally owned chain of pet stores in Rochester. “This helps free up resources for all of the services that they provide.”

Every year, these two shelters care for and find homes for more than 10,000 pets, which consume over 50,000 pounds of food per year.

PetSaver was able to finally put this program together through a cooperative program with Fromm Pet Food, Triumph Pet Food, Lads Pet Supplies and through donations from PetSaver customers.

“We needed a little help from our customers to make this program go,” Herman said. “We came up with an innovative way of allowing our customers to donate their Loyalty Points—and not cash donations—to help fund this. Their response was overwhelming and allowed us to fully fund the food donations.”

Alice Calabrese, president/CEO of Lollypop Farm, said: “We are very grateful to have such a generous partner in our community. Thanks to the donation of PetSaver Healthy Pet Superstore, we can ensure nutritious food is provided to the animals surrendered into our care. We applaud the entire PetSaver team and their customers for their donations and compassion to help thousands of homeless pets in our community.”

Chris Fitzgerald, Shelter Director for Rochester Animal Services, agreed. “Providing nutrition is a major component in caring for shelter animals as they await reunion with owners or adoption into new homes,” Fitzgerald said. “Getting this type of support from partner organizations means funds otherwise allocated for pet food can be used for other operating expenses such as additional veterinary supplies, shelter enrichment and pet retention.”

Through its Responsible Pet Owners Club, PetSaver also supports people who adopt pets through a local shelter. Pet adopters are given free food and discounts on supplies that they need to get started. PetSaver also donates $10 back to the rescue organization when redeemed by the adopter.

Last year, PetSaver rewarded more than 1,000 pet adopters through this program.

“It was helpful to use the coupons and discounts for the new kitty,” said PetSaver customer Jodie Brown of Irondequoit. “It was quite an incentive to adopt a cat. Any way to save money is helpful.”

PetSaver partners with Lollypop Farm and has adoption centers in all three of its stores. Hundreds of cats, rabbits and guinea pigs are adopted out each year at PetSaver. In addition, many Rochester rescue groups hold adoption events most every weekend at the stores.

“It’s heartbreaking to see all of the animals that need homes in our area.” Herman said. “The best way to find homes for these pets is to get them in front of potential adopters. We love partnering with these local rescues to help with the homeless pet problem.”

Pugs!

ORIGIN AND HISTORY

The Pug has a relatively ancient heritage going back to the Chinese, who have always loved flat-faced dogs. They originated the Shih Tzu (Lion Dog), and the Pekingese, both with whom the Pug (Foo Dog) may share bloodlines. He was highly prized by Chinese emperors, and it was against the law for anyone but royalty to own the dogs. As traders from the Dutch East India Company made their way around the world in the 16th century, they found the Pug, quickly fell in love with the breed, and brought specimens back to Holland. He became the official dog of the House of Orange when a Pug saved the Prince of Orange’s life by alerting him to approaching Spaniards in 1572.
Pugs made their way to the United States shortly after the Civil War and were being exhibited by the mid-1880s. They didn’t immediately gain favor; in fact, it wasn’t until the 1930s that they became recognized by kennel clubs in the United States. In the past decade or so, however, the Pug has become one of the most popular—and well recognized—dog breeds in the world.

PERSONALITY PROFILE

The Pug’s motto is multum in parvo, “a lot in a small package,” which captures his essence. It is no wonder he has been adored by so many for so long—he is big enough to be “all dog” but small enough to go anywhere. He is an even-tempered, happy, affectionate, and jovial companion. Clever and mischievous, he is curious and curious looking, attracting attention and returning affection. The Pug is friend to all types and ages of people and gets along well with other animals, too—especially when socialized from an early age. Because of their shortened face, Pugs have breathing problems and will snore and snort.

CARE REQUIREMENTS

Exercise: The Pug needs to get out into the world and work his body. Several walks a day will satisfy his exercise requirements and his curiosity.Grooming: The greatest challenge in grooming a Pug is keeping his face clean. The wrinkles must be kept dry and free from dirt, as do the areas around his eyes. His coat needs only occasional brushing, although he is a regular shedder.Life span: 12 to 15 years.Training: The Pug is a natural “gentleman”—maybe because of centuries of royal living. This doesn’t mean that he shouldn’t be trained, though. He’s an intelligent and curious fellow and appreciates direction.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY

The Flat-Coated Retriever was developed in England in the mid-1800s to serve as a close-working shooting dog. His ancestry includes the Labrador, Newfoundland, spaniel-type water dogs, setter, and sheepdog. Known as a “gamekeeper’s dog,” he was used widely on British estates. It was gamekeeper J. Hull’s dogs, Old Bounce and Young Bounce, who are credited with being the foundation of the modern Flat-Coated Retriever (originally known as “Wavy Coated Retriever”). Unlike many other retrieving breeds, who are often split into “field” and “show” strains, he remains consistent in appearance from the field to the show ring and is proficient in both.

PERSONALITY PROFILE

Character is a defining feature of the Flat-Coated Retriever. He is a companionable hunting retriever, and as such, is outgoing, enthusiastic, and tractable. He is excellent with children, especially older children who can handle his exuberance. A keen, intelligent hunter, he works confidently in the fields and is happy to return home. He forms close bonds with his owners and needs companionship. He is also slow to mature and retains a mischievous, puppy-like quality throughout his life—some fanciers even refer to him as the “Peter Pan” of dogdom.

CARE REQUIREMENTS

Exercise: The Flat-Coat needs his exercise—and plenty of it. His barely containable joie de vivre needs an outlet, and if he can spend enough time outside running, playing, hunting, fetching, swimming, or engaged in other activities, he will quiet right down in the house. Without enough exercise and mental stimulation, he can become anxious and even destructive.

Grooming: The Flat-Coat has a naturally lustrous coat that needs only occasional brushing and combing to keep him looking great.

Life Span: Average life span of the Flat-Coated Retriever is 10 to 12 years.

Training: Happy and enthusiastic, the Flat-Coat is up for anything his owner wants to teach him, and he learns quickly. He tends to get bored easily, so lessons should be short and motivational.